Healthcare Locums investigated

Medical staffing specialists Healthcare Locums has stopped trading in its shares and suspended its founder and finance director after the board found “serious accounting irregularities.”

Along with finance director Diane Jarvis being suspended, HCL also suspended its executive vice-chairman Kate Bleasdale, who founded the company in 2003, pending the outcome of the internal inquiry. The company also warned that its profits would be below market expectations of between £22m and £25m for the year to December 31. HCL chairman Alan Walker has taken over the running of the firm on an interim basis.